Sunstone Laser Welders

Yes. After 5 years of using our LZR 60, a laser welder has become one of those pieces of equipment we would not want to give up. It solved the breakage problems we were seeing with traditional soldered wire connections and gave us a much cleaner way to join orthodontic components.

If I were buying today, I would also look closely at Sunstone's more affordable models. Those options were not available when we purchased our LZR 60 and one of them may have given us everything our lab actually needed for less money.

In our lab, yes. Properly welded wire connections have virtually eliminated the joint failures we used to see with traditional soldering.

The quality of the weld still depends on correct settings, preparation and technique, but when the weld is done correctly the connection can be extremely strong. Fewer broken joints means fewer remakes for the lab, fewer problems for the doctor and a better experience for the patient.

Yes. This is one of the biggest advantages of laser welding in a modern digital orthodontic lab. Because the heat is concentrated at a very small weld area, we can position components on a 3D printed model and weld the appliance without using the broad heat of a traditional torch and soldering process.

You still need good technique and should avoid directing the laser or excessive heat into the model itself, but the ability to assemble an appliance directly on the printed model is a major workflow advantage.

Laser welding can be used on a wide range of orthodontic wire and band applications. Common examples include TPAs, Nance appliances, lower lingual arches, RPE frameworks, metal printed or traditional, habit appliances, buccal attachments, lingual attachments, soldered C's, wraparound bows, keeper wires, bonded 3 to 3 components, molar distalizers and other wire to wire or wire to band connections.

We also use the welder for repairs and for adding or repositioning components where a precise localized weld is useful.

For the type of orthodontic work we do, laser welding has been a major improvement. It gives us a strong, precise and localized connection without heating a large area of the appliance, and it has dramatically reduced the joint failures we used to experience with traditional soldering.

We do still use solder as a finishing step on certain appliances. After the joint has been laser welded, we will sometimes flow a small amount of solder over the welded area to smooth the surface, especially in areas that may contact the tongue, cheek or other soft tissue. The laser weld is what gives us the strength of the connection. The solder is there primarily to create a smoother finish for patient comfort.

That does not mean every lab needs to stop traditional soldering. If a lab only produces an occasional wire appliance or has very few solder joints, traditional soldering can still make financial sense. For us, once the production volume and number of joined components increased, laser welding became the better solution.

There is a learning period, but the basic operation is not difficult to understand. The bigger learning curve is understanding how power, pulse duration, spot size, material thickness and positioning affect the weld.

Once you develop reliable settings for the types of joints you make every day, the process becomes much more repeatable. Sunstone also offers remote and on site training for customers who want additional help with setup, applications, maintenance or technique.

Not necessarily. Your production volume and the type of work you do should determine how much machine you buy.

It depends on how many wire appliances and welded or soldered joints your lab produces. If you are only making an occasional wire appliance, it may be difficult to justify a large investment in a high end laser welder.

If soldering, repairs and joint failures are a regular part of your workflow, the calculation changes quickly. Also remember that Sunstone now offers laser welders at multiple price points, so a smaller lab may not need to make the same investment we made when we purchased our LZR 60.

There is actually very little routine maintenance on our Sunstone laser welder. One of the main scheduled maintenance items is the cooling water. Sunstone recommends changing the cooling water about once a year and using Type II deionized water rather than ordinary tap water. Using the correct deionized water helps protect the cooling system from mineral buildup and unwanted electrical conductivity.

The other long term wear item is the laser flashlamp. Our LZR 60 uses a flashlamp system, and flashlamp life is measured by the number of laser shots. Sunstone currently lists approximately 5 million shots for its replacement LZR flashlamp. Because specifications can vary by model and generation, we recommend confirming the flashlamp rating for the exact machine you own or are considering.

Outside of that, we keep the welding chamber and viewing areas clean and pay attention to cooling performance and weld consistency. In our experience, the machine has required very little day to day maintenance for the amount of work it does.

Sunstone customer support has been excellent. Their laser welder sales, service and technical support operations are based in Utah and when we have needed help or had questions, their team has been responsive and knowledgeable.

For us, knowing there is an established U.S. service and support team behind an expensive piece of equipment is an important part of the purchase.

Yes. Purchasing through Orthodontic Lab Solutions does not remove the manufacturer warranty. You are purchasing the same equipment with the applicable Sunstone manufacturer warranty for that model.

OLS can also help as a point of contact if any warranty or service issues come up. Depending on the equipment and current programs, extended coverage options may also be available. We can help you understand the available coverage before you purchase.

Absolutely. The right laser welder is not automatically the biggest or most expensive one. We look at the appliances you fabricate, how often you currently solder or repair joints, your expected production volume, the materials you work with and your budget.

Because we actually use a Sunstone laser welder in our own orthodontic lab, we can help you look at the purchase from a lab owner's perspective rather than simply comparing specifications on a brochure.

Financing may be available for qualified buyers. Low or no money down options may be available through Orthodontic Lab Solutions depending on approval, the equipment being purchased and current lending programs.

Financing can make it easier to put the machine into production while spreading the equipment cost over time.

Yes. Our review is based on long term ownership of the LZR 60, but many of the reasons we invested in laser welding have not changed. Strength of the joint, precision, reduced heat, the ability to work directly on 3D printed models and the reduction in remakes are still the things we care about most.

Sunstone's current lineup now includes different price points and feature levels, so use our LZR 60 experience to understand the technology and then compare the current models based on what your lab actually needs.